Oxford Christian Heritage Party candidate John Markus.
James Pascual
Farmers Forum
BEACHVILLE — Oxford County crop farmer John Markus said he has been bombarded with positive feedback after a local newspaper declined to publish a full-page ad that he had already paid for.
Markus is running in the June 19 federal by-election as the Canadian Heritage Party candidate and said that the bad news, of having his advertisement turned down, became good news as word spread like wildfire, and he has since been overwhelmed by local support.
Markus says he does not know why his advertisement was turned down but said he was told by the weekly Oxford Review that the ad did not meet the newspaper’s editorial standards. “They will publish a drag queen but they won’t publish our ad.”
The text-heavy ad lists Markus’ goals and positions and includes that he is “wholesomely pro-life” and that “we believe that there are only two sexes. God created male and female.” It also states that his party would “end gender indoctrination.”
The Oxford Review is a Postmedia-owned publication that receives funding for journalism from the federal government.
Markus is running against five other candidates. The by-election comes after long-time Conservative Member of Parliament Dave MacKenzie resigned in January. He shocked his party by saying he would support the Liberal candidate. MacKenzie’s daughter Deb Tate hoped to be the Conservative candidate but was overlooked, Markus said.
Markus said that many people are frustrated with where the country is going, and they like that he is open and clear about his policies and positions. “The spin doctors have overplayed their hand,” he said. “People are waking up to that.”
Markus said that in the 90,000-vote riding the Christian Heritage Party has in the past received about 1,000 votes. He said as a household name in many rural areas of the county, he hopes to change that.
Markus said he was refunded the money he paid for the ad more than one week after he made payment.
